House and Senate Democrats introduce legeslation to increase federal min. wage to $15/hr by 2025

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Hope this legislation gets passed. as $15.00/hr =  $ 31,200/ year  barely enough  to cover rent. heath insurance, food, clothing for a family --- as my one son has learned.

 

 

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5 hours ago, Beerman said:

If one has to work no more then one full-time job to make enough, then I would agree with you that is a benefit.

However, we both know that's not what we're talking about.  Just in this thread we have one person who knows several people who've involuntarily had their hours cut, and there is a story of two grocery stores closing when forced by the city to increase wages.

It's easy to find stories in the news of businesses closing when the city forced them to pay a certain wage.

I'm not sure why you're trying to make this argument,  other then you like to relive your high school debate team days.  You've said several times over the years and in this thread now that it's a cost of doing business to pay the "living wage", and if a business cant then they shouldn't be in business. You're pretty much saying some businesses will go under if forced to pay higher wages.

 

 

 

 

The thing is, is that these companies CAN afford to pay a living wage they just don't WANT to pay one. They have to pour millions into the pockets of their executives and stakeholders. I realize that it's the American philosophy of pull yourself up and "work hard" and become a success and wealthy. Realistically though, everyone has different aptitudes, priorities, opportunities, and roles to play in society and that's good we need burger flippers and surgeons. But not everyone is meant to go to college, and once again that's fine. People shouldn't be living in poverty just because they are deemed "less than" and not as important because of their chosen occupation.

I'm not saying that everyone should be paid the same, but I do believe that government has the right to force their hand because the companies are so greedy that they'd rather their employees get public assistance at the tax payer's expense than pay a living wage.

Republican's don't want people to have a minimum set wage, they don't want them to be on public assistance, and they don't want the government to intervene. Those wants are not compatible with each other.

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1 hour ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Should I assume from the tenor of your remarks that you don't believe that the government has a role in protecting American workers from unfair labor practices of unscrupulous employers? Maybe that's how you might make our country great again...repealing fair labor laws? 

No, you should not assume that.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
2 minutes ago, Beerman said:

No, you should not assume that.

Then I have no idea why you are troubled by the notion of a federal minimum wage or the need to adjust it periodically.  

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

My employer announced it's raising it's minimum wage from $11 to $13 starting now and then to $15 in two years.  A profitable business in a tight labor market can handle it.

I strongly agree that the minimum wage is way too low.  I don't think I can get behind a wage of $15 nationally.  $15 an hour in San Francisco is nothing, but in Podunk, Mississippi it isn't sustainable or reasonable.  

 

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37 minutes ago, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

The thing is, is that these companies CAN afford to pay a living wage they just don't WANT to pay one. They have to pour millions into the pockets of their executives and stakeholders. I realize that it's the American philosophy of pull yourself up and "work hard" and become a success and wealthy. Realistically though, everyone has different aptitudes, priorities, opportunities, and roles to play in society and that's good we need burger flippers and surgeons. But not everyone is meant to go to college, and once again that's fine. People shouldn't be living in poverty just because they are deemed "less than" and not as important because of their chosen occupation.

I'm not saying that everyone should be paid the same, but I do believe that government has the right to force their hand because the companies are so greedy that they'd rather their employees get public assistance at the tax payer's expense than pay a living wage.

Republican's don't want people to have a minimum set wage, they don't want them to be on public assistance, and they don't want the government to intervene. Those wants are not compatible with each other.

Putting aside the debate whether it's a large company's responsibility to support the family of a grocery bagger, millions of people and entrepreneurs don't work for large companies.  

 

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22 minutes ago, Tweety said:

Deleted....replied to wrong poster.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
3 hours ago, Beerman said:

Hmm.  I havent heard that explanation from sleepy joe and company.  That must be your take on it, which I'll admit makes more sense then what the Democrats are trying to tell us.

I'm we've all gotten our information from varying sources who's interpretations vary at least slightly, but this is the gist of how I've heard it described.  What was your understanding of the purpose for an increased federal minimum wage?

 

3 hours ago, Beerman said:

The information I believe you are referring to is how a employer does a market analysis to set wages.  

You don't care about that.  You want the govt to set the wages.  Which is what my question refers to.

 

Competitor's wages are certainly a part of market factors that should determine wages, but also aren't the only factor.

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3 hours ago, MunoRN said:

The proportion of grocery store or restaurant workers that are under 20 years of age appears to be just over 10% based on the workforce demographics I can find, although workers under 20 already don't immediately qualify for the full federal minimum wage and changing that doesn't seem to be part of the $15/hr proposal.

By definition, the bare minimum cost of an employee (the basic costs to live) is not an 'inflated' wage, bare minimum and inflated are two different things.

There doesn't appear to be much basis for the idea that if people make more, that they will be less likely to eat out at restaurants, and therefore the market demand for restaurant meals will decline.  Particularly given that in your example of Arkansas well over a quarter million people rely on food stamps, which can't be used at restaurants.  Less people relying on food stamps = more people that can go to restaurants to eat.  

I believe in the past you have mentioned you own a business.  I'm curious, and in light of your stance on this issue I'm sure you don't mind sharing, what kind of business and what kind of basic living wage do you pay?

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Specializes in Critical Care.
32 minutes ago, Beerman said:

Putting aside the debate whether it's a large company's responsibility to support the family of a grocery bagger, millions of people and entrepreneurs don't work for large companies.  

 

I agree with you that the minimum wage should not be enough to support a family, and at $15/hr it doesn't, even if the lowest cost of living states (the basic living wage for Kentucky for a parent and one child is estimated at about $22/hr).  

What the minimum wage should do is make the starting point for wage increases sufficient so that at some point most people can eventually afford a child.

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1 minute ago, MunoRN said:

I agree with you that the minimum wage should not be enough to support a family, and at $15/hr it doesn't, even if the lowest cost of living states (the basic living wage for Kentucky for a parent and one child is estimated at about $22/hr).  

What the minimum wage should do is make the starting point for wage increases sufficient so that at some point most people can eventually afford a child.

So, the logical next step then is to mandate wage increases for current employees.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
8 minutes ago, Beerman said:

I believe in the past you have mentioned you own a business.  I'm curious, and in light of your stance on this issue I'm sure you don't mind sharing, what kind of business and what kind of basic living wage do you pay?

It's a restaurant, starting wages vary by position and I have two salaried positions, the servers and dishwashers start at $17/hr, the line cooks start at $20 but I rarely put someone as a cook who hasn't already worked there in a different position.  Tips are pooled and distributed using ratios based on each position, we're only open for dinner but after a 3 to 5 hour night most staff end up with around $150. 

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Specializes in Hospice, Geri, Psych and SA,.
46 minutes ago, Beerman said:

Putting aside the debate whether it's a large company's responsibility to support the family of a grocery bagger, millions of people and entrepreneurs don't work for large companies.  

 

If they don't want to support their employee's lives then they should fork over a lot more in taxes than what they are currently paying so that the Government can support them. After all the point of work is to support our lives, if companies are unable or unwilling to do that, somebody has to.

I'm all for supporting small businesses and allowing smaller businesses be exempt from some mandates.

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